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Liposomes as drug delivery system in the treatment of infectious diseases potential applications and clinical experience

Liposomen als Arzneimittelfreisetzungssystem. Mögliche Applikationsformen und klinische Erfahrung in der Behandlung von Infektionskrankheiten

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Summary

Liposomes are microscopic, closed lipid vesicles able to entrap hydrophilic as well as lipophilic compounds. They constitute a versatile drug delivery system. When injected by the intravenous route, liposomes are taken up by macrophages in the liver and in the spleen. Investigation of several animal models of infections has shown that liposome-entrapped anti-infectious drugs are active against infections due to facultative intracellular bacteria, parasites such as Leishmania, viruses such as the one causing Rift valley fever. Liposomes of different lipid compositions, structures and sizes were used for intravenous administration of anti-infectious drugs without inducing toxicity in the tested animals. Clinical experience was obtained with two different liposomal preparations of amphotericin B in the treatment of systemic fungal diseases in cancer patients; these preparations were shown to be effective and very well-tolerated.

Zusammenfassung

Liposomen sind mikroskopisch kleine geschlossene Lipidvesikel mit der Fähigkeit, sowohl hydrophile als lipophile Wirkstoffe einzuschließen; sie stellen ein vielseitig nutzbares Arzneimittelfreisetzungssystem dar. Nach intravenöser Applikation erfolgt vorwiegend eine Aufnahme der Liposomen durch die Makrophagen in Leber und Milz. Untersuchungen an verschiedenen Infektionsmodellen bei Tieren haben ergeben, daß liposomal verkapselte antimikrobielle Pharmaka gegenüber Infektionen durch fakultativ intrazelluläre Erreger wie Bakterien, Parasiten (z. B. Leishmania), Viren (z. B. den Erreger des Rift valley fever) wirksam sind. Liposomen unterschiedlicher Lipidzusammensetzungen, Arten und Größen sind für die intravenöse Zufuhr von antimikrobiellen Arzneimitteln angewandt worden, ohne bei den Versuchstieren toxisch zu wirken. Klinische Erfahrungen beim Menschen konnten mit zwei verschiedenen Liposomenpräparationen von Amphotericin B in der Behandlung von systemischen Pilzinfektionen bei Krebskranken gewonnen werden. Diese Präparationen haben sich als wirksam und sehr gut verträglich erwiesen.

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  1. Service de Médicine Interne et Laboratoire d'Investigation Clinique H. J. Tagnon, Institut Jules Bordet, Centre des Tumeurs de l'Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1 Rue Héger-Bordet, B-1000, Bruxelles

    A. Coune M.D.

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Coune, A. Liposomes as drug delivery system in the treatment of infectious diseases potential applications and clinical experience. Infection 16, 141–147 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01644088

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